Lotto millionaire plays it cool at GAA match

Football fan Simon Fagan scooped €3.5m in Saturday’s Lotto, but was relaxed enough to umpire a GAA match just hours after celebrating his massive win.

The Louth native — who lives at home with his mother — turned out for a game between his home team and Drogheda’s St Fechin’s yesterday.

Simon, 40, bought his winning Quick Pick ticket in Lanney’s SuperValu on Saturday afternoon.

He caused a stir in the Ardee shop when he went back to thank the shop assistant who had sold him the €4 ticket.

A number of customers shook his hand and wished him luck, with one woman grabbing his hand and rubbing it. “I want to see if some of your luck rubs off on me,” she said.

He told people he didn’t want any publicity and was reluctant to speak about his massive win, but news of his luck had spread quickly.

“I am shocked and delighted at the win,” said Simon. “I was watching the draw live on the television with my brother. I got my ticket out of my pocket to check it and I said to my mam that if number 22 comes out last, then we’re in business.

“When that ball was drawn out by the presenter, I went a bit quiet. Then I went into the kitchen to tell my mam. She went mad with excitement and started shouting when I told her the good news,” Simon told supermarket shoppers.

After the news broke, dozens of family members, neighbours, and friends gathered in McCloskey’s pub, where celebrations continued for many hours and revellers said they were “delighted” that the shy local man had received such a windfall.

However, Simon was up early and went to nearby Ardee in search of the woman who sold him the winning ticket.

“She wasn’t on duty today, but he said he would be back to see her,” duty manager Stephen McCourt confirmed.